“He’s not catching a pass:” DeVonta Smith is still out to prove he can lock up Darius Slay
Darius Slay and DeVonta Smith are no strangers to some friendly trash talk.
Ever since the two became teammates last year, their friendly practice rivalry has been well documented. Both Slay and Smith are great at what they get paid to do, but it’s no secret that they both believe they can do the other’s job just as well.
Last year, Smith called Slay out during a midseason press conference, telling reporters he would “lock Slay up” if he ever got the chance to cover the veteran corner. Slay wasted no time with his rebuttal, challenging the wideout to a 1-on-1 duel at the NovaCare Complex.
Even with video of the battle, it’s hard to crown a true victor with such a small sample size.
DeVonta Smith v. Darius Slay from last season
Of course, both claimed victory. And with any great beef, the two’s trash talking hasn’t subsided at all.
This week, CBS Sports‘ Bryant McFadden caught up with the two on the Eagles practice field, asking Slay the question that’s on everyone’s mind: Can Smith actually cover him?
Slay mustered up a little bit of humility, telling McFadden, “He had one good rep on me [when] we did it last year.” But the Pro Bowl corner made it clear that in a best-of-five scenario, he’s winning.
The WR didn’t share the same humility, immediately responding with, “He’s not catching a pass.”
“I’m pressing him,” he continued. “I’m not saying he won’t get off the line, but he’s not catching a pass.” Slay’s reaction during the wideout’s answer tells us all we need to know about how he feels.
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As much as we all love Smith, it’s hard to deny that inserting Slay into the Eagles offense would at the very least be intriguing. After all, he did lead the NFL in defensive touchdowns last season. They don’t call him Big Play Slay for nothing.
I don’t think there’s any Eagles fans out there really clamoring to see Smith get some defensive reps, whereas Slay actually did see two snaps of offensive action in 2021.
Nevertheless, this beef doesn’t seem like it’s going to end anytime soon. If Smith and Slay’s little squabble here is any indication, expect to see the Eagles’ media team at the NovaCare Complex to film round two of Slay v. Smith in the coming days/weeks.
Mandatory Credit: NBC Sports Philadelphia
